General Advice

Tips#

Here are some tips of my own.

Don’t accept right away!#

Always negotiate. Nobody is going to take away your offer because you tried to negotiate.

Never lie#

This industry leaks like a sieve, especially among recruiters and hiring managers. However, the strategic omission of facts is fine when you aren’t ready to disclose them.

Get a coach?#

You can hire coaches like Josh Doody (author of Fearless Salary Negotiation) to help you. It makes economic sense to pay a sizable % of your salary increase for this because you get to keep benefiting in perpetuity. I personally have not yet done so, as I wanted to try it myself.

Know your worth#

Glassdoor and Levels.fyi are good for getting salary data, but Team Blind is also good for advice and comp package review. Subreddits like /r/cscareerquestions and others in your niche will also run salary surveys. These will help you figure out what you’re worth. Also, be hyperaware of things you’ve done that make you stand out from others in your experience band, and make sure they know it.

Transparency cuts both ways#

Some companies have strict bands and even publish their salary calculations, like Krit and GitLab. You can use these to triangulate your own market value, but if you’re interviewing at such a company, you may have to find non-cash negotiation points. They are likely to be inflexible due to their unusual transparency, though everyone makes exceptions.

Don’t greed#

Don’t let short-term greed compromise your long-term career. A high-paying job you hate isn’t better than a moderately well-paying job you love. You can also make a judgment call on accepting less money for more learning/professional growth in the direction you want. However, don’t let them talk you into taking less money for more responsibility.

Gender bias#

Offers and negotiations have a massive gender bias. Whether consciously or unconsciously, tech companies repeatedly end up in situations where they pay women ~20% less than their male counterparts and employ all sorts of negotiation and silencing tactics to make you accept it. This is grossly unfair, but it is real. Learn to recognize the excuses companies make and assert that you know how this game is played (because you have read everything in this chapter). Remember also that good company and well-intentioned people make these mistakes too; work with them and help them be better if you can.

Salary bands#

No amount of negotiation will overcome being under-leveled. Every company has salary bands, but most positions are flexible in terms of which band they hire at. Especially for the right person, aka you! If you should be at an L6 level but somehow fall into the L5 track in your conversation with recruiters, find out fast and make sure that you’re being considered for the most senior band possible. This helps before ever talking numbers.

The best alternative to a negotiated agreement#

No amount of negotiation will overcome not having a good alternative. This is known as the best alternative to a negotiated agreement in negotiation lingo. Remember that simply staying at your existing job is a strong BATNA, as is striking out on your own as a freelancer/entrepreneur given your existing audience or network. If the economy is good and you’re interviewing at a BigCo with a competing offer from another BigCo, previously stated obstacles (“That’s as high as we go for this band, I’m sorry”) can magically disappear (“I talked to our director, and we’re going to make an exception for you”). This is worth $100k+ in some cases.

Think win-win#

Negotiation is best done without a zero-sum mindset: “I’m negotiating with you. I win. You lose.” Instead, try a positive-sum attitude: "I want the best situation to do great work for you, but I have options. You have room to go higher. Let’s find something that works for both of us.”